


The Talk

by Lazhuli



Category: Avatar: Legend of Korra
Genre: Awkward Conversations, Brotherly Love, Mako is a good brother, Sex Talk
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-16
Updated: 2020-02-16
Packaged: 2021-02-19 15:06:46
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,564
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22746415
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lazhuli/pseuds/Lazhuli
Summary: Mako decides it's time for him to sit Bolin down and give him "The Talk". He just wishes he could think of a way out of it. Pure awkwardness. Mako is a good brother. Bolin wants to disappear. One-shot.
Comments: 1
Kudos: 28





	The Talk

Mako wiped his sweaty palms against his trouser pants again, a growing feeling of worry coiling in his stomach. He’d known this day was coming for a long time, he’d dreaded it ever since Shady Shin had pulled him aside at thirteen and taught him the facts of life…and of ladies. First had come embarrassment, then intrigue, and finally the overwhelming realization that he’d someday have to teach Bolin these things.

He’d put it off as long as he possibly could, stoically ignoring the longing glances Bolin gave to couples on the street, the stained sheets showing up in the laundry, and Bolin’s increasingly frequent questions about relationships and the human body. But, the boy was fourteen now and he needed to know these things before he got himself in to trouble. He’d recently discovered that his little brother had gotten his first kiss from some classmate he met at the nearby earthbending academy. It made Mako wish he’d never scraped together the money for those lessons.

“Damn it.” He mumbled under his breath, pacing their small apartment nervously as he waited for his brother to get him. He would give anything to not have to do this, but there was no way to avoid in any longer. Someone had to tell Bolin about the world before it lured the innocent boy in and spit him back out.

His wallowing around in self-pity was interrupted by the sound of their front door creaking open. Bolin entered, smiling as always, and tossed his duffel down on the bench in the entryway.

“Hey Bo.” Mako took a tentative step forwards. “How was your day?”

“It was great!” Bolin practically bounced into the main room of their apartment. “When I was at the gym today some actual pro-benders came by to practice. They were awesome! Their earthbender even showed me this cool trick!” He lowered himself into a fighting stance to show Mako a complex bending form.

“That’s really awesome, man.” Mako smiled. “We need to set aside some time to go practice together this weekend.”

“Definitely!” Bolin threw his arms out. “I’ve got a good feeling that this is our year, Mako! Try outs are going to go great, the sponsors are going to love us!”

“Yeah.” Mako rubbed the back of his head and sighed. “Hey Bo, can we talk about something?”

“Oh.” Bolin’s brow furrowed when he saw the seriousness of his brother’s face. “Sure, what’s up?”

“Come here.” Mako gestured to their small table. He took a seat and waited for his little brother to join him.

“Mako,” Bolin took a seat across from his brother. “Is something wrong?”

“No, no, not at all!” Mako held up a hand. “I just think it’s time for us to have a talk.”

“About what?” Bolin questioned, playing with his hair.

“Well, you’re fourteen now.” Mako began, trying to remember the words Shady Shin had used to give him this talk four years ago. Of course, he’d been a little bit cruder that Mako intended to be. “And you aren’t a kid anymore. In fact, you’re a young man, you’re growing up and it’s time that you learned about certain things…”

“What…kind of things?” Bolin questioned slowly when Mako’s voice trailed off.

“About men and women and…..babies.” Mako blushed furiously and his brother did the same.

“Oh, you mean you want to talk about….being physical.” Bolin stammered. He had a vague idea by this point about how all of that happened. He was certainly old enough to know that this was a topic surrounded by taboo.

“Bolin, you need to know about sex.” Mako slammed his hand down on the table, shocked by the amount of effort it took to get the words out.

“Oh…well Mako the thing is…..” Bolin gulped, so thoroughly embarrassed that he thought he may melt into the floorboards.

“Please Bo, just let me get it out. At your age, it’s natural to start thinking about women…in a different way. You might have certain feelings or even dreams about…” Mako trailed off again.

“Sex?” Bolin squeaked.

“Yes.” Mako sighed. “You’re going to learn that your body reacts to these dreams…and maybe even to women.”

“I know, but I seriously…..” Bolin’s face felt like it was on fire as he blushed again.

“Bo, just listen. Have you figured out how to….handle it?” Mako questioned nervously. He wasn’t sure if any answer to that question would be ideal.

“Yeah, I know how to….” Bolin shrugged.

“Masturbate.” The word felt unspeakably dirty coming out of his mouth, but Mako wanted him to have the proper terminology for all this stuff.

“Yeah.” His little brother croaked.

“Good, then you get the basic idea of what happens to a man during…sex…and that it can be really enjoyable.” Mako forged ahead. “Well it can be enjoyable for the women too, if you’re attentive to what she likes. But you need to be careful!”

“Okay yeah, don’t make babies but I really don’t think that’s a concern…” Bolin began.

“Nobody ever thinks it is but, here’s the truth Bo, if you…finish…inside of her she could get pregnant.” Mako was glad that his brother seemed to already know the basics. It wasn’t surprising given his age, and it made Mako feel guilty that he’d put off this talk for so long. “You’ve got to make sure you know what you’re risking.”

“Okay.” Bolin breathed. He slumped back in the chair, resigned.

“But there’s ways you can lower the risk.” Mako cringed internally and reached into his pants pocket to pull out a small leather pouch. “There’s things both of you can do and I want you to promise me that you will always use at least one, if not both.”

“Umm.” Bolin squirmed in his seat. “I don’t think I really need….”

“This is embarrassing for me to, but this stuff is important.” Mako reached into the pouch and pulled out a sponge. “The girl puts this in her…well her, um….vagina…before you have sex and then takes it out right after.” Mako’s tongue tripped and stumbled on the explanation. “Some people say dipping it in vinegar helps with the effectiveness, but I think that might be a wives’ tale.”

“Gotcha.” Bolin watched stoically as his brother put the item back in the pouch.

“Make sure you wet it a little first, or it’ll hurt her.” Mako advised. “But most girls will already have one of these if they want one. This, is for you.” Mako pulled out a rubber condom and unrolled it. “You might need to go back to the shop and get a different…err, size…I wasn’t really sure. It should fit kind of snug.” He placed this back into the pouch as well.

“O…okay.” Bolin stammered. He reached out to take the leather pouch from Mako’s hand, hoping this was the end of the conversation.

“The condom only lasts three months and you have to boil it after you use it. Actually, anytime you get a new partner you should buy a new condom also, and maybe a sponge just in case.” Mako handed the pouch to Bolin as well. “And if you ever, I mean ever, think that your partner might be pregnant you get her to a healer as soon as possible.”

“Well see Mako, I’m not sure…” Bolin tried to explain himself again.

“Always err on the side of caution. Always Bolin, got it?” Mako told him seriously.

“Great, got it!” Bolin tried to get to his feet. Mako put up a hand to stop his brother and the young earthbender sat back down with a groan.

“One last thing.” Mako promised. “Please be careful, Bo. Some people can be physical and then just leave the next morning, but for most it’s a really intense thing. It can feel really vulnerable to be involved like that and it can hurt to share it with the wrong person. It’s your body but, please, save it for somebody that you love.”

“Yeah, yeah, okay.” Bolin nodded earnestly. “I understand.”

“Do you…have any questions?” Mako asked.

“Well…..” Bolin rubbed the back of his head.

“Yeah?”

“Not that this wasn’t helpful, because it totally was.” Bolin said, putting out his hands. “But, I don’t think a lot of that was really relevant.”

“And why not?” Mako huffed.

“Mako, I was going to wait to tell you this but, now seems like as good a time as any.” Bolin rubbed the back of his hand again.

“You’ve already had sex, haven’t you?” Mako asked, crestfallen. He’d waited too long and now his little brother had gone and given over his innocence.

“No!” Bolin stood up with a start. “I haven’t done anything like that…..I just….I’m gay!”

“Oh.” Mako breathed. “Okay, so no sponges.”

“Yeah, I don’t think so.” Bolin admitted. 

Mako reached out and took the leather bag back from his brother’s hand, then headed for the door.

“Mako?” Bolin’s voice wavered a little bit. “Where are you going?”

“To the store. I need oil and more condoms.” Mako answered, pulling on his boots.

“What for?” Bolin’s brow furrowed in confusion.

“So we can try this talk again tomorrow.” Mako sighed and then strode out the door of the apartment.

“Again?!!” Bolin flopped down on the couch in defeat.


End file.
